Skirt-protector.



H. A, SMITH.

SKIRT PROTECTOR.

APPLHIATION FILED APR. 26. 1916.

1 1 97,240. Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

- HATTIE A. siirrrli, or WASHINGTON, ms'rmc'r or coLU'irrBm.

SKIRT-PROTECTOR.

Application filed April 28, 1916.- Serial No. 93,710.

Toall whom it may concern;

.Be it known that I, I-IATTIE A. SMITH, a citizen ,of the United States, residing at \Vashington, in the District of Columbia,

have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Skirtd?rotectors of which the following is a, specification.

This invention relates to skirt protectors and particularly to that class of protector which is closed zit-th bottom soas completely to envelop the skirts of the wearer and protect them from splashing.

In devices of this character it is necessary so to support the bottom panel or closure of the protector as to keep it clear of the ground. Two means toward this end have heretofore been used either singly or in combination. The first is to attach the panel to the legs of the wearer at or near the knees. This draws the protector around the bottom edges ofthe wearers skirts-and up within the same and by interfering with the hang and free movement of theskirts greatly impedes the wearer. Thesecond means is to provide one or more straps or stays extending from or near the waist band of the protector to one or more points near the middle of the bottom panel. These straps necessarily are outside the wearers skirts and by interfering with and bunching the same im pede the wearer and are uncomfortable. My invention avoids both these difficulties and provides a .protector which hangs like an ordinary skirt and can hardly be distinguished therefrom when properly adjusted. I accomplish this result 'by sustaining the central portion of the bottom panel on the ski rt portion of th protector b v inserting in it a plurality of spaced stitfeners extending across the panel, and by sustaining the side portions of. the panel by moans of elastic anklets which are adjusted at or about the wearers'shoe tops. By properly proportioning the protector, the protected skirts hang perfectly free. The spacing of the stitleners allows the bottom panel to have a free and almost universal movement and the anklets by supporting the sides of the $pecification of'Letters Patent.

Patented Sept-.5. 1916.

bottom panel in a very slightly elevated. position conceal the same and allow the sides of the protector to hang freely and nat'urally, like a skirt.

Other and minor features of the invention will be made plain by the description of the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure '1 is a perspective view showing the protector in use and illustrating the position assumed when the wearer is about to mount a step; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary viewillustrating the preferred formwofmlwaist band; Fig. 3 is a perspective view-jshowing' a' portion of the bottom panel and one ofthe elastic anklets. is turned inside out to showthepreferred construction of the anklet and -the method of attaching the stiffener-s. Fig. 4 is-a View looking at the outside of the-bottom panel and showing th general proportionstlrere of; and Fig. :7 is a section on the line 55 of Fig-4. i

In the drawings 6 represents the skirt" portion of the protector. The form of this is such as to conform to .the'skirts over which it is to worn, it being desirable that the pron-eh hang freely and not confine the protected skirts unduly-.- The WaiSt band T is of heavy elastic and the skirt p0rlion 6 of the pr trctoris laid in loose plaits and tacked at intervals between the plaits to the waistband. This arrangement is preferred because the waist band is self adjusting and requires no placket or fastenings, but other known arrangements might be used. p i

The bottom panel or closure 8 of the protector is pretr-rabtv of the form shown in In this view the protector" Fig. 4. though it may assume an oval or" other form appropriate to. the style of skirt over which (he proiector is to be worn. The longer (llIlIlllSHHt of the panel is transverse preferred because its straight form saves The form shown has been material. The *Janel. 8 is peripheral edge a. seam 9 to the ekiri', potion. 6.

Extending across the panel 8 number of spaced parallel stiffener-s 10.. six ing shown. These roof, be any of the usual types of dress stitfeners, such slice-ls" or bones but I prefer a. stifi'ener known by the trade name of featherhone because this has the right degree of elasticity and is light and noncorrosive. The stiffenere 10 extend the full width of panel. 8 and are container. in pockets ll ctit-cllecl tlnfo'ughonti their l ngth to the pane The stifieners thus etend across the panel 8 from the front to the hack of the protector and sum port the panel at its middle portion direc 3 from the skirt portion 6 of the protector.

Near each end oi the panel 8 and conrse qncniily near the sides of the protector are the openings 12 large enough for the pessage of the wearers shoe. A cut? mode of a straight. strip of material joined in. its ends is fitted in cool: opening 12. One edge only of the cuff is stitched smoothly to the edge of the opening 12. The other edge of the cuff loosely gathered and tacked :20 the lower edge or" an elastic band or anklet ii. so that the elastic and the gathered of the cuff may be stretched to the size of the opening 12. If the elastic band 14 be of proper size for the wearer, the cuff 13 will lie almost flat in. the plane of the bottom panel 8 when the protector is worn, the band. 14 projecting upward. therefrom. Whiie notv absolutely necessary it is desirable that the elastic unklet 14 be worn a littie above the plane of the bottom panel 8 to support the letter at the extreme sides of the pro teeter and to assist in rendering the bottom panel invisible.

When the protector is properly propoz tioned to the shirts over which it worn the lotto! hang lierfectly free, as does the skirt portion of the protector. The oniy impediment to movement is that ofi'ererl by the panel 8 which is perfectly free. to collapse upon itself and to swing or stretch in any direction. The panel 8 guides the stilieners 10 so that they do not interfere and the stifi'encrs support the panel in all positions assumed by the wearer.

l lecinlse of the loose use in this art of the 'n'orris stay and stilicnei to define the one thing; I shall, in certain of the claims describe the stiiiene'rs as relatively rigitl n order to exclwie such arrangements as extra plies of ordinary fabric which propci'l)! are ear rs only and here no intended ski-liming anvil-on. By (1 icrihing the :iilicncrs as "relatively ii iii. I (lo not.

hmvevcr. imply the exclusion of nnv of the known stiffening materials m1 of which have an ierent resiiient fiexioility end all of w ch are characterized by a. definite eriii'cning function contradisti guisheil from a mere staying or strengtl-- clung action.

The shirt )l(' 3t .ii" finds its greatest utility t n e rainprooi overall, and for this pur pose is preferably made of a Waterproof falgic Sflcll. as crsrwnette eioth or the like. 1 do not, however, liznit myself to any specific materiel.

Vrhile I hove illustrated the best embodint known to me, various modifications are onsly possible, and fall within the scope of tin invention.

' m n is:-

1. A skirt protector comprising in. combination, a skirt portion; a. panel inountecl in the 'ho'ttom of said skirt portion to close the se me; and a, relatively rigid stiffener extending across said panel to support the latter, said protector being provided with suitable leg openings.

2. A skirt protector comprising in combination, a skirt portion; a panel mounted in the bottom of id skirt portion to close the 5251118; :1 plurality, of spaced stiffeners extending across said panel to support the latter, so ill protector being provided with suit- :ihle leg ojfrfinillgs.

i5. skirt protector comprising in combination. a skirt portion; a panel mounted in the bottom of said skirt portion to close the Same. and provided with spaced leg open- 'ings; leg embracing cnfi's in said openings for supporting adjacent portions of said panel; and, stilieners extending across said panel between said openings for supporting the middle portion of said panel.

4. ekirt protector GOHIH'iSlXlg in combing: Lion, a skirt portion; an oblong panel closing; flu, wtiom of said. skirt portion and pro-- wiclml with icg openings adjacent its ends; elastic, lcflcmhrecing cell's in said openings; stifi'eneri-i (:Xtcmlin transversely to said panel between soiri opcninr' and attache means coon wing seirl siii'cncrs with panel llil'll ont substantially the entire lengths of said stitl'cners.

A skirt protector comprising in co1nhinati n a skirt portion; an oblong panel clawing the l-,rilt()2li of Silliti skirt portion and provided av} ll leg ogiuanings; cuffs mounted in said leg openings; elastic anklets each attachei (it one edge to the free edge of a cuff to fOXltIfiCt the letter. said anklets when in use cstco'iing upward from said cufl's Within the protector; and a plurality of stitfeners attached to said panel. and extending across the smne.

6. The (mn'ibirnition with. a skirt protector including; a skirt portion and a bottom closving thus described my invention, What ing panel pmvided with leg openings of without deformation of said openings, and eiasdc ankletswmefox-9:14; :kag'npeningg and said anklets, when in use, extending up- :uimzhe at 011% er is the luwer edge ward from said cufis Within the pmtector. 10 of a corresponding ankle? am} at the (sfiser In testimony whereof I have signed my 5 edga 0 the edge mi *4 (1:: cspmading upenname to this specification.

ing mid cufl'a being 0? such width as barely to pw'm'lt the fun contmtflun (If the rmr m HATTIE A. SMITH 

